Display rack or stand



Jan. 31, 1933. G. F. BRECHT I DISPLAY RACK OR STAND Filed Jan. 50, 1932-2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR GeorgeEBrecht HIS ATTORNEY Jim 1933 G. F.BRECHT DISPLAY RACK OR STAND Filed Jan. 30, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTOR eara Flflrechi 1 u all. 1}

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HIS ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 31, 1933 UNITED STATES GEORGE IE. BRECHT, OFDAYTON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TUBING 00., 0F DAYTON,

DISPLAY RACK on swarm Application filed January 30, 1932. Serial No.589,917.

My invention relates to improvements in racks or stands which areappropriately, though not exclusively, adapted to hold and displayloaves of bread.

An important genera-l object of the invention is to provide a stand orrack suitable for the above purpose, which can be made from few parts soarranged and connected as to permit. folding or collapsing of the standto compact size and form for packing, shipment, and storage when not inuse, and unfolding to extended position to place the parts in properrelative positions to receive and display articles of merchandise, theparts being collectively movable to either of said positions by a singleoperation.

In connection with the above it is also an object of the invention toprovide a construction and arrangement of parts facilitating theassembling thereof, as hereinafter pointed out.

Another important object is to provide a shelf which is particularlydesigned to facilitate positioning loaves of bread thereon in an orderlyarrangement from which they will not be easily displaced accidentally,and to also provide an auxiliary frame to cooperate with theconstruction of the shelf in accomplishing this purpose.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be pointed outhereinafter in connection with the detailed description of theaccompanying drawings wherein is shown a preferred embodiment of theinvention, and in which Fig. l is a perspective View of a stand or rackembodying the invention and in extended position;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line 22 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a side elevation showing the stand or rack partially folded.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 5 designates the legs or uprightsupports which are preferably constructed of strips of sheet metal,there being two back legs and two front legs connected respectively bythe strips 6 adjacent their lower ends and just above the casters 7 onwhich the stand may be mounted for convenience in moving it about. Thestrips 6 preferably have their ends 8 bent to engage the outer face ofthe legs 5, and braces or struts 9 have their lower ends positioned inface to face relation with the ends 8 of the strip 6 so that a singlerivet or bolt 10 may be passed through the braces 9, ends 8, and legs 5,to connect the same to- "ro wnsron PAPER AND MANUFAC- OHIO, ACORPORATION-0F 01110 a gether, the strips 6 and legs 8 being rigidlyconnected due to the manner in which the ends of the strips embrace theleg, but the braces 9 being pivotally connected on the rivet or bolts 10for a reason hereinafter pointed out. The structure is braced by struts11 which extend diagonally between the strip 6 and legs 5 being securedto each by rivets or screws 12.

A rectangular frame 13, preferably made from a strip of sheet metal ispivotally secured to each of the legs 5, as by rivets or screws 14,which extend through the legs and through the frame adjacent its cornerswhich are disposed adjacent the legs 5. The ends of the frame 13 receivea screw 15 at a point where openings 16 (Fig. 3) in struts or braces 9register or coincide when the braces are swung toward each other onpivots 10 so that the screw may be disposed through the opening 16'and awing nut 17 may be applied thereto to rigidly clamp the struts or braces9 to the frame 13 as shown in Fig. 1 to hold the stand or rack inextended position.

Referring particularly to Fig. 2, it will be noted that the frame 13supports a shelf 18, the front and back edges of which are bent asindicated at 19 to engage over and around the opposite front and backarms of the frame. The ends of the shelf are shown as being disposedwithin the ends of the frame 13 and the shelf is preferably constructedof a sheet of sheet metal stamped or otherwise formed to provide acorrugated or troughed surface having troughs 20 formed by thedownwardly and rearwardly inclined surfaces 21 and the relatively shortsurfaces 22 at substantially right angles to the surfaces 21. Thebottoms of the troughs are below the ends of frame 13. Any number ofsuch troughs may be provided, but when the stand is to be used forsupporting loaves of bread, it is preferable to have the portions 21substantially equal in width to the width of a standard sized loaf ofbread. It will also be noted in Fig. 2 that a brace 23 is sooured to theends of the frame 13, as by a rivet or screw 24, and engaging the lowersurface of the shelf 18 to prevent sagging. The brace 23 may be a rod orstrip extending all the way across the stand below the shelf or it maybe in the nature of a pair of angle members one secured to each of theends of the frame 13 and extending toward each other a suflicientdistance to prevent the shelf from sagging when loaded with merchandise.

Referring to Fig. 1, itwill be readily apparent that the purpose of thetroughs 20 and the inclination of the surface 21 is to receive the endor side of a loaf of bread and to place the same in an inclined positionsuch that the center of gravity of the loaf will be disposed to the rearmaking it difficult for the loaves to topple from the shelves from theopen front of the frame. To maintain the bread in the inclined positionshown, I provide an auxiliary frame 25 comprising a U-shaped strip ofsheet metal having its arms 26 pivotally secured to the legs 5 as byrivets or screws 27 and having the connecting arm 26 extending betweenthe rear legs or supports 5. The location of the frame 25 with respectto the shelf 18 is such that arm 26' is substantially in alinement withthe rearmost portion 22 of the shelf 18, that is, located substantiallyat a point in a line at right angles to the plane of the portions 21when the stand is in extended position so that substantially the entiresurface of the end of the loaf of bread will be disposed flatly againstthe portion 21 while the rear of the loaf will be disposed against theportion 22 of the shelf and arm 27 of the frame 25. Thus the loaves ofbread may be'conveniently and quickly arranged in an orderly andattractive manner for display and vending, it being apparent that thestorekeeper need exercise little care in placing the loaves on theshelf, as the shelf and frame 25 are constructed and arranged to readilyfacilitate neatly placing the loaves at an angle, such as describedabove, from which they will not be easily displaced when removing loaveswhen making sales or in the event the stand receives an accidental jar.It should be apparent that loaves of bread placed in the intermediatetrough will rest against the loaves of bread in the rearmost trough atsubstantially the same angle of inclination and that loaves of bread inthe front trough will rest against those in the intermediate trough inthe same manner. It may be desirable sometimes to place the loaves ontheir side, that is, longitudinally of the shelf, and in such event theconstruction of the shelf and the short portion 22 and ends of frame 13will facilitate placing the loaves and prevent accidental displacement.

While I have described the foregoing phase of the invention inconnection with one shelf, as it is perfectly apparent that the standmay be constructed with only one shelf, it is preferable to have thestand constructed with several shelves to accommodate more loaves ofbread. However, it is deemed unnecessary to describe the constructionand arrangement of r the other shelves and auxiliary frames 27 in detailas they are identical with the shelf 18 and frame 27 already describedand are connected to the supports 5 in the same manner at predeterminedintervals.

It has been ment1oned that the shelves and the frames 25 are pivotallyconnected to the legs or supports 5 and it will be understood that thepurpose of this is to provide for the collapsing or folding of the standto a compact size and form for packing, shipment, and storage when notin use. This feature of the invention is clearly illustrated in Fig. 3where the stand is shown in extended position in dotted lines and inpartly collapsed position in full lines. Referring to Fig. 3, it will benoted that when the wing nut 17 is removed from the screw 15 and theupper ends of the strut 9 are removed from engagement with the screw 15,that the stand may be collapsed or folded by holding one of the rearlegs and lifting upwardly on the front legs, or by pressing down onthe'rea-r of one of the shelves 18 and lifting up on the front of thesame or another shelf as all of the shelves and frames 27 being the samein construction and being connected to the legs at corresponding pointsforce exerted on any part at the front of the frame in such a man ner asto lift the front legs up and back toward the rear legs will move all ofthe shelves 18 and frames 27 collectively and in unison on their pivots14 and 27 respectively. It will be apparent from Fig. 3 that the standmay he still further collapsed until it is approximately a flatstructure with the front legs butting the back legs simply by moving thefront legs further to the right. It will also be seen that the struts orbraces 9 can be swung in on their pivots until parallel with anddisposed over the legs 5 to which they are connected.

I wish to call attention again to the manner of connecting or mountingthe shelves 118 on the frames 13, that is, by bending the front and backedges of the shelf to engage around and under the frame because thisconnection not only facilitates the assembly of the stand or rack anddispenses with auxiliary fastening elements, but also positivelyprevents displacement of the shelves from the frames when folding orunfolding the stand and when the stand is in use. Such connection is notonly economical but is also quite effective for the reasons abovepointed out. Furthermore the corrugated character of the shelf isimportant when assembling the parts because it enables them to bereadily connected to the frame 13 by placing one of the bent edges 19over one of the arms of the frame and then pulling on the shelf untilthe other bent edge can engage over the opposite arm, it being apparentthat the corrugated nature of the shelf permits the same to be stretchedin the direction of pull sufficiently to engage said second edge of theshelf over the frame after which the resiliency of the materialmaintains it in position on the frame.

From the foregoing it should be apparent that the stand or rack iscollapsed or folded at the factory after it has been assembled in themanner described, and is shipped in a relatively compact container whichis easily handled to the place where it is to be used. The purchaser oruser simply opens the crate or carton, and after removing the rackstands it on its rear legs and holding any portion of any part at therear of the structure, pulls downwardly and outwardly on either thefront legs or a front portion of one of the shelves until the front legstouch the floor. He then swings the struts or braces 9 on their pivots10 until the openings 16 register and then inserts the screw 15 throughthe frame 13 and the openings 16 and applies the wing nuts 17. The standis then in the position shown in Fig. 1 and ready for use.

I wish it to be understood that while I have described the stand or rackembodying the invention as shown in the drawings to be constructed ofsheet metal, various materials can be used, and that although I havedescribed the frames :27 as being of single piece of metal bent to theproportions and shape shown and described, that it is perfectly possibleto have the side arms 26 formed by straight rod links and to have thearm 27 formed by a strip rigidly secured to the back legs. The same istrue of the frame 13 as the ends or sides of the frame may be linkspivotally connected to the legs and the front and back arms may beseparate members rigidly secured to the legs.

YVhat I claim is:

1. A rack or stand of the character described comprising front and backlegs arranged at opposite sides of the rack or stand and connected inrespective front and back pairs, a frame pivotally connected at itssides to each of the legs and pivotally connecting the respective pairswhereby one of said pair of legs can be folded against the other pair ofsaid legs, front and back arms of said frame extending between the sidesthereof in substantial alinement, a shelf having flanges at its frontand back edges for engagement against the outer faces of the front andback arms of the frame, said shelf being formed with inclined troughsarranged substantially parallel to the flanges to receive articles,

and a second frame pivotally connected to said legs above said firstframe and having arms across the sides and back of the frame between thelegs.

2. A rack or stand of the character described comprising front and backlegs arranged at opposite sides of the rack or stand and connected inrespective front and back pairs, a frame pivotally connected at itssides to each of the legs and pivotally connecting the respective pairswhereby one of said pair of legs can be folded against the other pair ofsaid legs, the front and back arms of said frame extending between thesides of the frame, a shelf having flanges at its front and back edgesfor engagement against the outer faces of the front and back arms of theframe, said shelf being provided with troughs substantially parallel tothe flanges to receive articles and permitting the shelf to be stretchedto facilitate engagement of said flanges over said arms, a second framepivotally secured to the legs and having an arm extending between thepair of back legs above said shelf, said arm constituting a rest forarticles disposed in the rearmost trough of the shelf.

3. A rack or stand according to claim 1 in which the troughs in theshelf are inclined downwardly and rearwardly from the front of the standand the back walls extending upwardly from the base of the troughs, andthe arm of the second frame between the rear back legs is locatedsubstantially in the same plane as the back wall of the rearmost trough.

Signed at Dayton, in the county of Montgomery and State of Ohio, this27th day of January A. D. 1932.

GEORGE F. BRECHT.

